Biophysical Society Bulletin | February 2021

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February 2021

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B I O P H Y S I C A L S O C I E T Y

2021 New&Notable SymposiumSpeakers Announced

The Annual Meeting Program Chairs were challenged in making the selections this year from among the very large number of outstanding nominations submitted by Society members. The speakers will present their work on Thursday, February 25, 10:00 am -11:30 am , USA Eastern. The New and Notable Symposium will feature exciting new discoveries across a wide range of biophysical research, including cryo-EM analyses of complex macromolecular assemblies and processes, optogenetics, and mechanobiology. Patricia Bassereau and Bertrand Garcia-Moreno , Program Co-Chairs of the 65th Annual Meeting Program Committee, will co-chair the Symposium.

Keiichi Inoue

Rie Nygaard

Keiichi Inoue , University of Tokyo, Japan Photobiology of New Microbial Rhodopsins Pramod Pullarkat , Raman Research Institute, India A Membrane Associated Actin-Spectrin Periodic Lattice Acts as a Shock Absorber

to Protect Axons Under Mechanical Stress Rie Nygaard , Columbia University, USA

Pramod Pullarkat

Alison Patteson

Structural Basis of WNT Secretion by Its Carrier Alison Patteson , Syracuse University, USA Life of Vimentin Intermediate Filaments Inside and Outside the Cell

Submit Nominations Now for 2022 Society Awards  The deadline to submit nominations for the 2022 Biophysical Society Awards is May 1, 2021. Through the awards program, BPS honors members and recognizes excellence in biophysics The Biophysical Society values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are making efforts to have the diversity of our global members represented at every level of the Society, including the Society Awards. The Awards Committee can only select winners from among those who are nominated. Nominate a deserving colleague today! Awards will be presented at the 2022 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San  Francisco, California.  For a full list of awards to be bestowed this cycle, and to submit a nomination, visit the BPS website at www.biophysics.org/awards-funding/ society-awards. 

President’s Message Biophysicist in Profile Inside

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Public Affairs Publications Annual Meeting Member Corner

10 12 14 16 17 18 20

Career Development

Communities

Grants and Opportunities

Upcoming Events

President’s Message

Also note that if you do not plan to attend the entire BPS meeting, anyone in the world can attend the President’s Sym- posuim: Building an Inclusive Biophysical Society, followed by the 2021 Awards Ceremony and the Society Lecture, given by Eva Nogales of University of California Berkeley. These events will be held on the last day of the meeting, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm USA Eastern on Friday, February 26, 2021. Information about the full program can be found on the Society website. One of the issues that I have tried to highlight during my pres- idency is the importance of Biophysical Journal to the Society’s strategic goals (sharing knowledge about biophysics, pro- moting biophysics, fostering a global community, advocating for biophysics). The journal is also extremely important to the Society financially, bringing in about one-third of the Society’s revenues that are then used in member services programs and activities.

It is New Year’s Eve as I write my last BPS Bulletin column as President of the Society. Looking back over the nearly one year since I took up the gavel, I can’t help but think how lucky the Society was to be able to hold the 2020 meeting in person. How innocent we were then! Only three weeks after the

Catherine A. Royer with Past-President David W. Piston

meeting much of the country was in lockdown, and 2020 be- gan in earnest its long horrendous slog through the pandemic. The Spring meeting of Council, usually held at the President’s institution, had to go virtual, as did the fall meeting, usually held at the BPS offices near Washington, DC. The gavel does not lend itself to Zoom. But in fact, there was no need for gaveling. Council really pulled together this year as we had to make really difficult decisions, the hardest of which was to move the 2021 meeting online. Society staff have been incredible during the year as well, switching apparently seam- lessly to working from home and on-line. Honestly, I could not tell the difference. Moving the meeting online took an all- hands-on-deck effort, and I am truly grateful for all the hard work by Society staff and the Program Committee in pulling this together. All aspects of BPS functions have been impacted by the pandemic, of course. Our finances have taken the triple hit of having to pay cancellation fees for the 2021 meeting venue, the added cost of contracting with various new vendors to hold the upcoming online meeting, and the loss of revenue from membership dues —most BPS members renew their membership when they register for the meeting. While the online meeting has attracted more registrants so far than we anticipated, we still are low in membership renewals. Over the years BPS Council had built up financial reserves for a contin- gency such as this (natural disasters, cyber or terror attack). It turned out to be a global pandemic. Thankfully the reserves will help get us through this, but still Society finances have suffered quite a bit. So I am asking you to do two things right now to help the So- ciety: (1) If you have not registered for the 2021 virtual Annual Meeting it is not too late to do so. Note that the Program Committee has put together an impressive program with plenty of talks, posters, career and other panels, as well as chat rooms to meet up with colleagues; and (2) Even if you do not plan to attend the meeting, renew your Society member- ship! Biophysics needs you now more than ever.

From left, Frances Separovic, Cathy Royer, Angela Gronenborn, and Suzanne Scarlata.

So there is one more thing I will ask you to do for BPS before I leave the presidency. Submit at least one manuscript to BJ every year. The journal exists for you to highlight your work and share it with your colleagues. One manuscript per year from all BPS PI’s would elevate the journal and in addition to making the journal stronger, your contributions will directly benefit BPS. I hope to “see” many of you during the 2021 online meeting in February, when I will turn over the gavel to Frances Separovic , our incoming President. Looking forward to an in-person meeting in San Francisco in 2022, I think we can all celebrate the crucial role of science in bringing us an ever-increasing number of safe and effective vaccines to beat down this virus. This feat of the scientific community was built on a lot of ex- cellent biophysics over the years, including protein structure and dynamics, RNA physical chemistry, physical chemistry of lipids, and the biophysics of the immune response. Without

February 2021

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President’s Message

Officers President Catherine A. Royer President-Elect Frances Separovic Past-President David W. Piston Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council Linda Columbus Michelle A. Digman

We at BPS must continue our efforts to advo- cate for science and science funding through our outreach and education programs, our public affairs activities, and our efforts to broaden and diversify the STEM workforce in order to make sure that discoveries continue to expand our understanding of the natural world, and provide a basis for new technol- ogies for improving human health and the environment. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as BPS President during a year that was challenging (to say the least) for all of us, some more so than others. I hope that you have found support from the Society, and that like me, your love for science has kept you going. I look forward to seeing all of you in person in San Francisco in 2022. — Catherine A. Royer

Erin C. Dueber Marta Filizola Gilad Haran

Francesca Marassi Joseph A. Mindell Carolyn A. Moores

the great work of biophysicists over the last decades, these lifesaving vaccines would not have been possible. SARS-CoV2 will not be the last dangerous virus or other infectious pathogen that will threaten our well-being worldwide. Susan Marqusee, left, and Karen Fleming get together with Cathy Royer at the BPS Annual Meeting

Anna Moroni Jennifer Ross David Stokes Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief Biophysical Reports

Jörg Enderlein Editor-in-Chief

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor Beth Staehle

Upcoming Virtual Networking Events All dates for events have not been determined at the time of publication, but events will be starting in March. Check www.biophysics.org/upcoming-networking-events for updates and to register!

Challenges in Times of the Pandemic and its Aftermath for Young Latin American Biophysicists Delineating the Biophysical Landscape with Computational and Experimental Efforts Ion Channels and Beyond: Electrophysiology

Shape, Function, Dynamics, and Application of Supercoiled Nanocircle DNA Biomolecular Modeling in the Age of Machine Learning Biomechanical Forces during Host-Pathogen Interactions Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Biophysical Society Networking Event

Production Catie Curry Ray Wolfe Proofreader/Copy Editor Laura Phelan The Biophysical Society Newsletter (ISSN 0006-3495) is published eleven times per year, January-December, by the Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Distributed to USA members and other countries at no cost. Cana- dian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD 20852. Copyright © 2021 by the Biophysical Society.

in Research and Drug Discovery 2021 Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy

February 2021

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Biophysicist in Profile

Frances Separovic Areas of Research Biological solid-state NMR and membrane- active peptides

Institution University of Melbourne and Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute

At-a-Glance

Frances Separovic incoming President of the Biophysical Society, followed an atypical path to be- come a biophysical chemist. “I did not choose a career in science; I stumbled onto it,” she shares. “Almost all of us will struggle no matter what career we choose, so may as well have some fun along the way. My career in biophysics has not been easy, but I have enjoyed the journey. I am so pleased to have embarked upon a career in biophysics and being a member of the Biophysical Society helped me along the way.”

Frances Separovic

When Frances Separovic was a young child, her family immi- grated from Croatia to Broken Hill, an outback mining town in central Australia — you may have seen it featured in the movies The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Mad Max . Her father was a miner and her mother cleaned houses to make ends meet. Separovic was the first in her family to complete primary school and never envisioned herself pur- suing a career in science. “My family did not think in terms of careers —we thought in terms of making a living. I thought that if I were lucky, I could become an air hostess and get to fly and see other parts of Australia,” she shares. “However, this was very unlikely as there was a height requirement, which I was unlikely to reach as I was always the smallest kid in my class at school.” After high school, she started at the University of Sydney, but left school after one term, working as a junior technical assistant in a microbiology lab at CSIRO Food Research, a government research organization. Following the birth of her son, she was working full-time and struggling to make ends meet, so she decided to return to school part-time so that she could qualify as a technical officer. After getting a biological technician’s certificate in night school, and finding that she enjoyed physics and math, she undertook a math-physics double major at Macquarie University. Her degree program, which she pursued part-time, complemented her work at CSIRO, particularly when she switched to a physics lab. Separovic found that she enjoyed science so much that she chose to work on her PhD at the University of New South Wales. “Although it was difficult working full-time and study- ing part-time, it was both rewarding and stimulating and enriched my life in so many ways,” she says. By the time she finished her PhD, her son had graduated from high school. She was awarded a Fogarty Fellowship and carried out a postdoc with Klaus Gawrisch at NIH.

Following her postdoc, she returned to Australia and joined the University of Melbourne as an associate professor of chemistry. “I found it difficult to transfer from a government laboratory, where I had worked for 23 years, to a university environment. It was compounded by being a physicist in a chemistry department and having to establish myself as a teaching and research academic,” she explains. “Also, I was considered too old to be an early career researcher and found that my age often impeded me at most stages of my career, more so for women than men.” In 2005, she became the first woman professor of chemistry at the university, and in 2010 the first woman to head the School of Chemistry. “Increasingly our lab has focused on membrane-active peptides, in particular antimicrobial peptides, that cross lipid bilayer membranes. Membrane-active peptides have been thought of as a means to defeat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Alternatives to conventional antibiotics are heavily needed and could be derived from membrane-active peptides and understanding how to harness synergistic combinations of peptides and drugs,” Separovic explains. “During my PhD work, I started studying the peptide antibiotic gramicidin A by using solid-state NMR to determine its structure in a lipid bilayer. I loved NMR as it was a way of doing quantum mechanics every day. I went on to determine the structure of other peptides in membranes, and increasingly antimicrobial peptides.” Separovic retired from the University of Melbourne in 2019 and holds the title Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Emeritus. She is also deputy director of the Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute and an honorary professor of chemistry at the university. “Current projects are entitled, Integrating Quantum Hyperpolarisation in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Systems and Mechanism of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides,” she shares. “We were awarded an

February 2021

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Biophysicist in Profile

equipment grant, Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation System for Molecular Structure Determination, and are studying antimi- crobial peptides in live bacteria instead of model membranes. Since the structure of these peptides depend on their en- vironment, to understand how they work it is important to study them in live cells.” Going forward, she plans to continue collaborating with bio- physicists around the world, and give back to the Biophysical Society, “which because of its blend of disciplines and cultures always made me feel at home,” she shares. “The Society can help make a difference worldwide so that policy makers un- derstand the importance of scientific research and in turn use science to inform policy.” “The Society has given me an international network which has helped me directly and indirectly. Not only does this lead to research collaboration but also to support when apply- ing for jobs and promotion as well as awards and prizes,” Separovic says. “The Society is constantly evolving and trying to respond to the needs of its members. When I first went to the Annual Meeting, I found a home in one of the Subgroups, which helped nurture my career and from there I found out more about the committees and the increasing commitment of the Society to embrace diversity in many forms.” Kalina Hristova , professor of materials science and engineering at Johns Hopkins University does not collaborate directly with Separovic, but the two share a passion for biophysics and the same interest in the structure and function of membrane active peptides. They first met when presenting posters at a Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in the late 1990s. “To this day, one of the highlights of the Annual Meeting is catching up with Frances and exchanging new ideas about scientific re- search and science policies. Her optimism, her dedication, and her forward-looking nature are inspiring, and make her the perfect companion for a cup of coffee — or a glass of wine.”

Separovic on the day she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia

shortly after she had taken up her academic position at the University of Melbourne. “We were both attending a biomolecular interactions symposium at the University of Melbourne, and she asked me a very relevant and insightful question. We were in the early days of developing our membrane biosensor techniques, and Frances really opened up the world of biomembrane structure to me and helped me gain confidence in the significance of our work,” she shares. Since then, they have collaborated frequently, and are currently working on elucidating the role of the bacterial membrane in bacterial resistance. Aguilar admires her dedication both to the work and her community, saying “Frances combines her passion for science with a commitment to people — she reads voraciously and continually seeks opportunities to promote colleagues — and of course is unrelenting in her voice for women in science. She is truly a global citizen for science.”

Profiles in Biophysics No two biophysicists have the same story. Read about the many paths that led each of them to become a biophysicist. www.biophysics.org/profiles-in-biophysics

Separovic in Antarctica

Collaborator Mibel Aguilar , professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Monash University, first met Separovic

February 2021

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Public Affairs

White House Signs FY21 Federal Budget at 11th Hour   After months of hearings and negotiations, four continuing resolutions (CR) to keep the government funded and open, President Trump finally signed off on the federal budget on December 27, 2020 for fiscal year (FY) 2021 at the last possible moment before the expiration of the final CR. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) received a funding increase of $1.475 billion for a total FY21 funding package of $42.934 billion. NIH will also receive COVID-19 relief funds of $1.25 billion to support research and clinical trials related to the long-term effects of COVID-19. The National Science Foundation received an increase of 2.5 percent over FY20, for a total funding package of $8.487 billion.

President-Elect Biden Names Key Administration Appointees On the cusp of the New Year, President-Elect Joe Biden’s transition is taking a larger focus. Biden has named his top picks for nearly all of the key posts for the incoming Admin- istration. Although there are no guarantees of a swift con- firmation process for any cabinet post, below are some of the nominees for both cabinet posts and White House senior staff positions. • Secretary of the Interior: Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) • Secretary of Energy: Former Governor Jennifer Granholm (MI) • Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Michael Regan • Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality: Brenda Mallory • Secretary of Health and Human Services: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra • Surgeon General: former Obama Administration Surgeon General Vivek Murthy • Director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chief of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, Rochelle Walensky • COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair: Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith • Chief Medical Advisor to the President, COVID-19: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci ; Fauci will remain in his role at NIAID • Special Presidential Envoy for Climate: Former Secretary John Kerry • National Climate Advisory: Gina McCarthy

• Deputy Coordinator, COVID-19 Response: Natalie Quillian • COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Counselor to the President: Jeff Zients Around theWorld The State of Research by Samrat Mukhopadhyay, BPS Ambassador, India

When I last wrote my piece in July for the BPS Bulletin , the number of positive COVID-19 cases in India crossed 300,000, and now cases are skyrocketing to over 10 million. While the coronavirus is raging nationwide, the number of daily new cases has been declining steadily over the past

Samrat Mukhopadhyay

three months. Additionally, a new variant has created consid- erable distress although there is no evidence that this new strain is more deadly and infectious than the previous one. Like all other activities, the pandemic has impacted research activities at all our institutions, moderately or severely de- pending on the location. Many of our laboratories are open at reduced occupancy by imposing shifts. This arrangement is bound to diminish the scientific output and is taking a heavy toll on the researchers. But at this point, our top priority is to keep ourselves healthy, and therefore, we must try to recali- brate our expectations.

February 2021

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Public Affairs

Several coronavirus vaccines are expected to come along during 2021, but due to a limited supply of these vaccines, at least in the initial phase, the immunization of a large section of the population is a formidable challenge. Until large-scale immunization takes place, we need to stay the course and must avoid nonessential air travel. We hope that after immu- nization, students and young researchers will be able to travel to their new study and job locations. We also hope that senior academics, academic institutions, professional bodies, and scientific societies will work together to support the younger generation of researchers who are impacted due to unfore- seen delays and missed opportunities during the pandemic period. Additionally, institution leaders might need to assess and recalibrate their faculty searches, promotions, and tenure clocks. There is a pressing need to redefine scientific produc- tivity and revise the definition of academic success at a time when this global pandemic crashed on every shore. Some uni- versities have already announced new tenure clock extension policies. I believe that professional societies have a lot to offer young researchers and early career faculty members for their career development post-COVID-19. Public Perception of Science in a COVID World by Nuno C. Santos, BPS Ambassador, Portugal Undeniably, the most significant event of 2020 is the current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic, with its striking death toll from both direct and indirect causes. One needs to bear also SARS-CoV-2 protein that before we would only expect to find in a biophysics or structural biology journal; we saw (or di- rectly participated in the process) virologists, immunologists, mathematicians, biochemists, and biophysicists speaking on prime time TV about specific aspects of the present problem; and, we were (gladly) surprised by mass media journalists discussing the scientific method or the peer-reviewed vs. non-peer-reviewed research findings duality. This pandemic and the race for new mitigation, treatment, and immuniza- tion strategies enabled a drastic increase in the proportion of our fellow citizens that understand the importance of science and scientific research for our society, including basic or fundamental science. Hopefully, this improved public perception may pave the way for more people who are also electors to consider that the investment in scientific research is not a waste of money, and also to consider that at other Nuno C. Santos in mind all the economic impacts, including the loss of employment or revenue for so many worldwide. On the other hand, al- though not outweighing negative impacts, scientists saw a marked change in the public perception of science in several countries. At an unprecedented level, we witnessed major newspapers publishing information on each

levels beside SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, both personal decisions (e.g., vaccination) and political decisions (e.g., tackling cli- mate changes) should be made based on adequate scientific evidence. Canadian Biophysics in 2021 by John Baenziger, BPS Ambassador, Canada

Biophysicists across the country continue to adapt to the new normal of virtual work. Teaching at most universities in Canada is being conducted online and will remain so for the winter term of 2021. Research labs remain open, albeit with restricted access to ensure appropriate physical distancing. It is

John Baenziger

hoped that the new vaccines will allow everyone in Canada and around the world to start getting back to normal, in-per- son activities in the spring of 2021! David Sivak received the 2021 Young Investigator Award from the Biophysical Society of Canada. Sivak is an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University and was selected for his cutting edge, transformative and interdisciplinary research in nonequilibrium statistical biophysics. The Biophysical Society of Canada will hold its 6th Annual Meeting, virtually, May 25–28, 2021. John Rubinstein is the National Lecturer. The meeting will take place over half days and will include a trainee-led symposium focused on research and career development. Hogmanay Thoughts by Olwyn Byron, BPS Ambassador, United Kingdom I am writing this at home next to our Christmas tree in the final few hours of 2020 — a year so bad, they named it twice. Soon I will be joining my family in our back garden for Hog- manay celebrations to see in the new year with our neigh-

bours — socially distanced, of course — since Covid-19 is still hugely prevalent here in the United Kingdom. For most of us, 2020 has been a dreadful year because of the pandemic, but here in the United Kingdom it has been extra bad for those of us who have this year left the

Olwyn Byron

European Union (EU) against our wishes, a sentiment widely, passionately, and relentlessly expressed within UK science.

Continued on next page

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Public Affairs

The ability of the United Kingdom to punch above its weight both within and without the EU is also down to its attractive- ness to talented scientists from many nations. Until recently, around 20 percent of the UK scientific workforce originated from other EU nations, its citizens being able to work in any member nation of their choosing. Now, a points-based visa scheme has been introduced that will allow scientists from the EU to work here, but at a cost that may be off-putting to those considering a move. Again, UK science will almost inevitably suffer. Many EU scientists first came to the UK as part of the Eras- mus Programe (EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students), an EU student exchange programme established in 1987. And, of course, this programme provided many UK scientists with a precious opportunity to study elsewhere in the EU. The UK will not continue to participate in Erasmus and will be replacing it with a new scheme named after the mathematician Alan Turing. The Turing Scheme (£100 million in 2021–2022) will provide funding for about 35,000 UK students to undertake place- ments around the world from September 2021. It will not,

Continued from page 7

So, what are Brexit and “the deal” likely to mean for UK sci- ence in general, and biophysics in particular? EU membership gave the UK access to significant research funds, chief among them was the Horizon Europe programme (worth €81 billion) for which the next round of funding runs 2021–2027. The deal negotiated with the EU honours grants awarded before Brexit and thankfully, like several other non-EU nations, the United Kingdom will participate as an associated country in all parts of the Horizon programme. In order to do this, we will be required to make an as yet undisclosed (undecided?) finan- cial contribution to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Historically, UK science has been a net beneficiary of EU funding, so on purely economic grounds maintaining a stake in the Horizon programme is probably a no-brainer. And this will be a huge relief to many in UK science who, in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, witnessed the exclu- sion of UK scientists from EU grant applications. But it will not repair the damage done by the four-plus years of uncertainty during the transition and is unlikely to restore UK science to its dominance among EU nations.

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Public Affairs

however, support the ingress of EU students to the UK and we have to hope that such students continue to find a way to cross the English Channel to enrich the intellectual and cultur- al life of our universities and research institutes. Thankfully, access for UK biophysics to the large European facilities on which it so depends appears to be mostly unaf- fected by Brexit since the contributions made to these facili- ties are separate from EU membership and will continue. So, once we are allowed to travel more freely, we will be looking forward to returning to facilities to acquire data and speak the international language of science with those we have been missing over the past 12 months. But UK biophysics did not stop in 2020. Along with the rest of the global biophysics community, it stepped up to the chal- lenge of COVID-19. At the Biennial Meeting of the British Bio- physical Society, the final session of the meeting was focused on SARS-CoV-2. Our national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source, remained open for remote access for most of the year since the pandemic developed, and has been key in the global effort to understand how the SARS-CoV-2 virus works and

how it can be targeted. We were delighted to hear about work including multi-scale imaging of SARS-CoV-2 and determi- nation of structures of its spike protein on intact virions from Dave Stuart , Peijun Zhang (both Diamond Light Source) and John Briggs (LMB, Cambridge). Stuart, MRC Professor of Struc- tural Biology, University of Oxford, and Head of the Division of Structural Biology at the Department of Clinical Medicine, is also Director of Life Sciences at Diamond. He was honoured in the United Kingdom with a knighthood for services to med- ical research and the scientific community. We have discovered this year how effectively we can continue to work and to collaborate remotely. And many of us have even discovered the power of theoretical and computational biophysics! The pandemic has heightened national respect for science and sharpened our focus on immediate and emerging areas of research importance, many of which overlap with the domain of biophysics. So, I am optimistic (always a glass half- full on my table!) that with the awfulness of Brexit uncertain- ty largely behind us and with vaccine production and roll-out in progress, we can look forward to 2021.

The Biophysicist , in conjunction with the BPS Education Committee, has launched a series of five webinars. The series seeks to help attendees become more effective in their teaching of biophysics, while valuing diversity and equity among students with different backgrounds. The later webinars will also discuss research-based approaches to teaching biophysics and introduce the participants to the field of educational research, with particular application to biophysics. Each event will last 90 minutes, featuring a 30-minute talk by a guest speaker followed by breakout groups and discussion involving the participants and the speaker. For more information and to register, visit www.biophysics.org/publications/the-biophysicist/webinars Webinar Series

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its Industry Partners.

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For Industry Partner Membership information, contact alevine@biophysics.org.

February 2021

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Publications

Know the BJ Editor Ryota Iino Institute for Molecular Science

biology, non-equilibrium statistical physics, and molecular and mathematical simulations. The goal of this initiative is to un- derstand the common operational and design principles of bi- ological and synthetic molecular machines. As expressed in the famous words by Richard Feynman , “What I cannot create, I do not understand.” I would like to create non-natural autonomous molecular machines and molecular machine systems capable of interconversion of various forms of energy via mechanical motions. I also would like to extend our research network to all over the world including the United States. How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field? I have been using Twitter for more than 10 years. It has been very helpful for me to follow new results in my field of research as well as other related areas of biophysics. I have my own account (@ryotaiino) and it has been very helpful in widely promoting our new results and introducing exciting results by other groups. I enjoy being able to connect with outstanding re- searchers in the world, even if I have never met them in person.

Editor, Molecular Machines, Motors, and Nanoscale Biophysics Biophysical Journal

Ryota Iino

What are you currently working on that excites you? I am a single-molecule biophysicist who loves protein molec- ular motors and molecular machines. I am currently involved in a government-funded “Molecular Engine” initiative in Japan (http:/www.molecular-engine.bio.titech.ac.jp/eng/index.html; Iino et al., Chem. Rev. 2020, 120, 1, 1–4). This is an interdisci- plinary network of researchers with diverse backgrounds such as synthetic chemistry, single-molecule biophysics, structural

BJ Editor’s Pick Biophysical Perspective Troponin Revealed: Uncovering the Structure of the Thin Filament On-Off Switch in Striated Muscle Larry S. Tobacman “A new era has arrived for investigation of the thin filament and for functional understand- ings that increasingly accommodate the recent structural results.” Published November 19, 2020 DOI:https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2020.11.014

Biophysical Reports Welcomes Editorial Board BPS, along with Editor-in-Chief Jörg Enderlein , welcome the following members of the Biophysical Reports Editorial Board. Erdinc Sezgin

Steve Granick Center for Soft and Living Matter Ulsan, South Korea Alexandra Ros Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona, USA Dmitrii E. Makarov University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA

Aleksandra Radenovic Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland Yuval Ebenstein Tel-Aviv University Tel Aviv, Israel

Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden Ulrike Endesfelder Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA, USA Hagen Hofmann Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel

February 2021

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B I O P H Y S I C A L S O C I E T Y

Publications

Social Media at BJ The Biophysical Journal Editorial Office is delighted to intro- duce their team of Social Media Contributors. Arun Richard Chandrasekaran , New York University; Luyi Cheng , Northwest- ern University; and Nuala Del Piccolo , University of California - Davis assist the Editorial Office with identifying articles to feature on the BPS social media channels. They contribute tweets and blog posts highlighting new and intriguing re- search and exciting BJ news. Get to know their views on social Chandrasekaran : My area of research is DNA nanotechnology, in which I use DNA as a material to build nanoscale structures and devices. I use these nanostructures in applications such as biosensing, drug delivery and molecular computation. Cheng : Broadly, I study the role of RNA structures in RNA- based gene regulation. I am especially interested in ribo- switches — short segments of non-coding RNA — that largely depend on folding into functional structures to up- or downregulate genes in bacteria. Del Piccolo : I study the physiochemical recognition of tumors by circulating leukocytes using microfluidic device technol- ogies and tissue engineering techniques. I am particularly interested in the role of hypoxia in the tumor microenviron- ment. What excited you about being a social media contributor for Biophysical Journal ? Chandrasekaran : I was one of the bloggers for the BPS Annu- al Meeting in 2020 and it was a great experience contributing to the Society as well as the biophysics community. Being a social media contributor to Biophysical Journal is an opportu- nity to communicate science to scientists as well as the lay audience. Cheng : I see the role of social media contributor as a valu- able opportunity for practicing my science communication skills and helping to publicize the work of biophysicists. I was definitely excited to have the chance to regularly go through the research in each issue of the journal and challenge myself to summarize the findings of a paper succinctly, interestingly, and accurately, and all within 280 characters! It’s been a great learning experience so far that’s helped push me out of my comfort zone too. Del Piccolo : I enjoy communicating about science with stu- dents, fellow scientists, and the general public, so I frequent- ly accept writing and teaching opportunities in this space. The social media contributor role at Biophysical Journal is an media’s relationship with science. What is your field of research?

exciting opportunity to work with a professional society that supported me during graduate school and a journal that has published two of my primary research articles. How do you view the role of social media in science? Chandrasekaran : We share our adventures, photography skills, and even cooking recipes on social media, and it gets the attention of our friends, family, and the extended com- munity. I believe science is no different and social media is an important tool in making a connection between scientists and the society. Cheng : Social media can help basic science research reach broader audiences than ever before. I think, when scientists thoughtfully consider their audience and engage in science communication, social media can become a powerful plat- form for making science more accessible and welcoming for everyone. Del Piccolo : Mixing social media and science has the potential to distribute research results to more diverse audiences and facilitate real-time conversations about the science among various stakeholders. I look forward to exploring these im- pacts in my current role as a Biophysical Journal social media contributor.

Follow Biophysical Journal on Twitter @BiophysJ

Numbers By the BPS has published eight ebooks in the BPS-IOP Biophysics Series. Four of these were published in 2020. Eight more are in development or production.

Explore the BPS-IOP Biophysics Series at https:/ iopscience.iop.org/bookListInfo/iop-se- ries-in-biophysical-society

February 2021

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B I O P H Y S I C A L S O C I E T Y

Annual Meeting

Share science • Learn the latest research •Make connections If you haven’t already…register for this excitingmeeting. Our first ever virtual Annual Meeting is around the corner and it promises to be as exciting and rewarding as our regular in-person meeting. If you have not registered, we urge you to register now. We were surprised and delighted with the very large number of abstracts that were received. The symposia and the platform sessions were reconstituted in a format that will allow for in-vivo exchange with the speakers; the daily poster sessions will also afford ample opportunities for informal mingling. From the 16 Subgroup symposia to the Future of Biophysics, New and Notable, Best of Biophysical Journal , President’s Symposium: Building an Inclusive Biophysical Society, and the Biophysical Lecture, this exciting program has something for everyone. We very much look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Mark your calendars and register now if you have not already done so. — Patricia Bassereau and Bertrand Garcia-Moreno , 2021 Program Co-chairs

Thank you to our sponsors: Bruker Burroughs Wellcome Fund Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC Cell Press Chroma Technology Corp Curi Bio Elsevier Horiba Scientific Hubner Photonics - Cobolt Leica Microsystems Inc LUMICKS Nanion Technologies Nikon Instruments Inc Oxford Instruments - Andor and NanoAnalysis Sutter Instrument TOPTICA Photonics Inc Mad City Labs Inc Molecular Devices

Peer-to-Peer NetworkingMixer Wednesday, February 24, 3:30 pm –5:30 pm USA Eastern

Looking for an opportunity to connect with your peers? This event is a great chance to compare notes with colleagues, make new connections, and discuss one-on-one your unique solutions to issues that arise in your particular career stage. Virtual networking space will be provided for Annual Meeting attendees at all career levels, from undergrads

to established researchers. Speed Networking Thursday, February 25, 3:30 pm –5:30 pm USA Eastern

Networking is made simple at the virtual Speed Networking session. Connect with many biophysicists (including Biophysical Society committee members) through small groups discussion in a short amount of time. Mid-career and more experienced scientists could learn how to get more involved in the Society or network for open positions in their labs. Early career scientists could discuss career goals and challenges, get advice on tenure or grant writing, or find out how to gain recognition for their work. Graduate students and postdocs could make contacts to find their next position. Space is limited and pre-registration is required to ensure a spot. Registration deadline: Friday, February 11, 2021. Register today through the BPS Annual Meeting website!

February 2021

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B I O P H Y S I C A L S O C I E T Y

Annual Meeting

Plan to visit the Virtual Exhibit Hall Tuesday, February 23 – Friday, February 26 10:00 am –5:00 pm USA Eastern

Scavenger Hunt Join your fellow BPS attendees on an interactive Scavenger Hunt. Visit the exhibitor booths, scan their QR codes, answer the questions correctly to score points, and climb the leaderboard! Points are awarded for correct answers. When you answer correctly, your name will rise to the top of the leaderboard. Top scoring first and second place winners will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tablet or a Fitbit Versa!

Visit exhibitors and learn about their products, technologies, and services. Chat one-on-one with booth

representatives through live video chat, download marketing materials, view company information, learn about company products, attend exhibitor presentations, and plenty more!